Bryant, 1080 means it is a simple spring steel with .8 percent carbon. It will have other elements in it like manganese in small quantities. Another example would be 5160. The 5 indicates it is a chromium steel, the 1 indicates percentage of chromium, and the 60 is the carbon content.

Brion

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Bryant, 1080 means it is a simple spring steel with .8 percent carbon. It will have other elements in it like manganese in small quantities. Another example would be 5160. The 5 indicates it is a chromium steel, the 1 indicates percentage of chromium, and the 60 is the carbon content.

Brion

I guess I didn't make clear what it is I'm looking for, I understand 1080 and love working with it, what I am trying to find are the letters behind the numbers. As in, what is the difference between 1080A and 1080C? Is one better than the other? Does one contain a touch more carbon or some other alloy. I stumbled upon that information some time ago but have since lost it. If there is no difference then why do suppliers have each listed separately for different prices? surely there is some kind of difference between them.

I have no idea what A B or C means but M indicates modified (1080m is 80crv2 ) H means hardening (specific depth of hardening) FG is fine grain i think, a prefix of C means carbon arc furnace melt B is basic hearth, E is electric furnace. a B or l in the middle indicates lead or boron (ie 12L14) added

MP

It may be similar to the designations for 440 steel. You have 440a, 440b, 440c. The main difference I could find in these is carbon content. According to the ASM 1080 can have a carbon range from like .75-.95. It is possible the letters may indicate carbon content. Interesting question Bryant.

Brion

I thought the A was for Annealed, the C was for Cold-rolled and I forget what the B was for.

Good possibilty Joshua. Would the b stand for blanchard ground?

Brion

Yes Brion that is it. Thank you